This Cream Cheese Pasta recipe is a super speedy 10 minute midweek meal. Add whatever vegetables or meat you have in the fridge and you’re good to go.
Midweek dinners, ready in 10 minutes, are 100% my happy place.
After work, school pick up, clubs, and so on and sometimes? Dinner is just TOO MUCH for my poor brain.
Quick Cream Cheese Pasta recipe to the rescue my friends.
This Cream Cheese Pasta is a winner and here’s why:
- So quick to make.
- Uses up any veg or meat leftovers in the fridge.
- Everyone loves it, clean plates all round. 🙌🏻
FAQs about the Cream Cheese Pasta recipe
Can I use reduced fat cream cheese?
You can (and I often do). The sauce will have a slightly different texture, not as rich and creamy, but it’s still really delicious.
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes use whatever you have to hand or is needs to be used. Just cooking it accordingly.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Sure, just omit the bacon or replace with a meat substitute.
Can I make this in advance?
I wouldn’t, just because it’s so quick anyway and the pasta ‘sauce’ you cream with the cream cheese is best eaten fresh.
All that said, I wouldn’t waste leftovers and would just have them cold for lunch the next day. You can reheat leftovers (some of the sauce will have soaked in to the pasta though.)
More pasta recipes?
- Chorizo Pasta – Cooked all in one pan, SO tasty.
- Creamy Sausage Pasta – A one pan meal where the pasta cooks IN the sauce.
- Smoked Salmon Pasta – Ready in just 10 minutes, light and fresh 👌🏻
- Classic Tuna Pasta Salad – Another simple, delicious meal ready in 10.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make this recipe. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ by the recipe.
Also, if you’d like to show me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see your creations.
Cream Cheese Pasta - 10 Minute Meal!
Ingredients
- 300 g Dried pasta See Note 1.
- 1 tsp Olive oil See Note 2.
- 250 g Bacon Cut into small pieces.
- 1 Large Onion Peeled and finely chopped. See Note 3.
- 2 Cloves Garlic Peeled and finely chopped. See Note 3.
- 3 Courgettes Trimmed and cut into small pieces.
- 200 g Petit pois Frozen.
- 250 g Cream cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50 g Parmesan Cheese Grated. Optional.
Instructions
- Put the pasta into boil in a large pan of salted water.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, in a large saucepan or deep frying pan, heat the oil and fry the bacon, onion, garlic and courgettes until softened and starting to brown. (This will take about the same time as the pasta.)
- 3 - 4 Minutes before the pasta is due to finish cooking, add in the peas with the boiling pasta to cook in the same water.
- Take the pan with the fried vegetables. Stir in the cream cheese, salt and pepper, Parmesan cheese and a couple of ladles of the water from the pasta pan. Stir until smooth.
- Drain the pasta and add to the vegetables and sauce.
Notes
Whichever shape of dried pasta you prefer is fine. Check the cooking time on the packet. Note 2
If I'm using a very fatty bacon, like pancetta lardons, I leave out the oil as it's not needed. Note 3
I use pre prepared frozen, chopped here. An onion weighs about 150g, so replace with that pre chopped weight. Garlic is about 5g per clove so I use 10g (2 teaspoons).
Heather Morgan says
Sounds delicious, 😋 going to have this for dinner tonight….
Emer says
HI Sarah,
I made this last night, it was fab, really enjoyed it. I might swop the cream cheese for creme fraiche the next time only because my kids are more used to that taste.
Jamie Hilly says
I made This for dinner and it’s so good! I used Philadelphia garden vegetable cream cheese instead. It’s so creamy and tasty!
Gabriel Inpool says
Made this tonight… used chopped up spicy hot links and shrimp….. so good!!! Thank you for this super easy recipe!!!
Kelly says
So easy and tasty. Made it before and having just seen your IG stories it’s reminded me how easy and delish it is. Making it tonight!
Sarah says
Delicious thanks
Jess says
Just made this for the family and it was delicious 😋
Nancy says
Made this for dinner today, so quick and easy, added spinach because I had some to use up. Clean plates all round. Kids loved it. Thank you
Caroline says
Absolutely gorgeous. I will definitely be doing this again 😊. Had lactose free Philly and gluten free pasta as dairy and gluten free but not allergic. Cooking this whole batch of recipes but with alternatives is slightly more money but worth every penny so far👍🏻
madara says
Tried it today and it was really yummy, everyone indeed enjoyed it. Will add this to my regular quick and cheap recipe list